“ Stump makes you feel that you are reading on the edge of a life in a fierce gale, vulnerable, excited, alive.”— TheGuardian (London)

Wet an spectacular wreckage leads to “powerful forgetting” which leads to “periodics” which lead to the “dry drunks” which go to “immersion” an “enabler” an “therapeutic alliance” an any alternative, any fuckin alternative atropine aversion therapy or Antabuse or ECT or acufuckinpuncture or snakepits or swimming with dolphins an all of that all of it comes completely back to this one pure irreducible phenomenon: a booming heart that burns to drink.

It has taken the loss of a limb and a death threat from the Mob to make one Liverpudlian dry out and move to a small seaside town in Wales. But his past life is a recurring nightmare—filth, desperation, and blackouts. And more trouble is only a hundred miles away. Darren and Alastair leave Liverpool, heading south in a rickety old car. They have been sent by their gang boss to wreak violent revenge, but they have only a rough idea of their quarry: a one-armed man.

Interspersed between the scabrous banter and a pitch-perfect street dialect, Niall Griffiths offers stunning descriptions of the Welsh landscape and a dark, knowing humor. Despite the ever present drugs, violence, and anger, he reveals a fragile humanity. Graywolf is proud to introduce this striking, distinctive voice to American readers.

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From the Inside Flap:

Aimed at the general reader, this comprehensive guide to the universe provides an account of our current understanding of the physical universe and the essentials of its underlying mathematical theory.

About the Author:

Niall Griffiths was born in Liverpool in 1966 and now lives in Wales. His previous novels include Sheepshagger, Kelly + Victor, and Grits, which is currently being filmed for television in the U.K.